Silver Pin Noodles

Silver pin noodles or rice pin noodles, also known as rat tail or mouse tail noodles or short noodles due to their shape and appearance. Traditionally made by pounding rice and forming into noodles. There are now as many variations as there are families that cook them. The typical noodles are made with rice or rice flour and starches.

It is a noodle that originated from China but can be found throughout Asia by means of migration. The noodles can be used in soups or stir fry dishes. The noodles are neutral and will easily absorb any flavor. The sauces can be easily changed and customized to suit any palate.  

A few notable dishes include Lort Cha (lot cha) from Cambodia, Loh shu fun (Loh shi fun) Bee Tai Mak or Mee Tai Mak from Singapore and Malaysia. The stir fry that I am sharing here is reminiscent of pad see-ew or drunken noodles with Giam Ee noodles, which is what the noodles are known as in Thailand.

Notes:

Starches – when testing the recipe for the noodles, I did a lot of searches, specifically for commercially available packages and the ingredients used. They vary considerably with some noodles made mostly of tapioca and others mostly rice. Some have wheat starch and others don’t. The flours and starches that I used in this recipe are what I have on hand. The noodles themselves remind me of khao piek sen and I gravitated towards that recipe with the addition of cornstarch to make the noodles strong enough for a stir-fry.

Dough – I’ve worked with tapioca starch long before I worked with all-purpose flour and the one thing that I found, you have to use boiling hot water and work quickly. When you add hot water to the tapioca starch, the starch is activated. That should be incorporated quickly into the dough. The dough should be smooth and pliable. If it is crumbly, then chances are the starches were not incorporated properly.

Vegetables – use your preferred vegetables or what you have on hand. I used bok choy from the garden and was able to make this whole dish (noodles and all) with ingredients that I had readily available at home.

Make ahead – the noodles can be made ahead one to two days, if uncooked. If they are wet, toss them with a little bit of tapioca starch to keep them from sticking together. Keep dry in a sealed container/bag and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use. When ready, boil and use it in soup or stir fry. It is not recommended to freeze as the starches may deteriorate.

Silver Pin Noodles

Noodles

Yields: 1.2 lb (545g) of noodles
Time: 30 minutes

1 ½ cup (190g) rice flour
2/3 cup (90g) tapioca starch
2 tablespoons (20g) cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1 ¼ cup (310 ml) boiling hot water
1 tablespoon oil (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, add flour, starches, and salt. Stir to combine.
2. Slowly add in the hot water. Use a wooden spoon to stir the water into the dry ingredients.
3. Quickly work and knead the dough to form a smooth and pliable dough. Be careful as the dough may be hot. Work it with the spoon if it is too hot.
4. Cut the dough into small pieces. Keep the pieces covered with a clean kitchen towel while you work to prevent the dough from drying out.
5. Roll each dough piece into a long noodle strand, about 1/8 to ¼-inch thick.
6. Apply extra pressure with your pointer finger to break off the noodle at desired length (usually about 2 inches). Roll the ends to form the tapered ends of the noodle.
7. Continue until you have used up all the dough.
8. To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the noodles. Don’t touch them immediately. Let them cook until they float to the top. Once they have floated to the top, let them cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, depending on size. The noodle should be translucent on the outside and will be chewy.
9. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the cooked noodles from the pot. Transfer into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
10. Drain and toss with a tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking.

Stir Fry with Silver Pin Noodles

Yields: 4 servings
Time: 15 minutes

3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons thin soy sauce or regular soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce or black soy sauce
2 tablespoons seasoning sauce (Golden Mountain)
1 tablespoon chili oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 scallions, diced (green and white parts separated)
3-4 boy choy, cut into quarters or vegetable of choice
1 small carrot, julienned
½ lb. (226g) chicken (or protein of choice), sliced or minced
1.2 lbs. silver pin noodles (from above)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Prepare the stir fry sauce by combining the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, seasoning sauce, and chili oil. Mix well and set aside.
2. Bring oil to temperature in a wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so.
3. Add the chicken and 1 tablespoon of stir fry sauce. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and a spatula cuts through the chicken easily.
4. Toss in vegetables and fry for another minute.
5. Then add the noodles and remaining stir fry sauce. Fry for a minute or so until the noodles have been completely coated with the sauce.
6. Right before turning off the heat, sprinkle in the green part of the scallions. Toss to distribute.
7. Serve warm. Enjoy!